Kahl am Main, May 8, 2007 – SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES (SINGULUS) was able to win a new order for its innovative inline eyeglass coating machine OPTICUS. A European customer decided to invest in the inline technology to further automate its production and to reduce production costs. At the MIDO in Milan from May 4 – 7, 2007, one of the world’s biggest trade fairs for eyeglass optics, for the first time the ophthalmic glass coating machine OPTICUS was presented in operation and received a high level of interest by the trade show visitors, who were able to convince themselves of the capabilites of the machine.
Stefan A. Baustert, CEO of Singulus Technologies comments: “Since we achieved the breakthrough with our TIMARIS machines and were already able to recognize sales in the past quarter, we are pleased that our second new work area “Optical Coatings� has also proved successful.�
The company had achieved an important breakthrough with this machine concept last December, when the first OPTICUS coating machine for plastic ophthalmic lenses was qualified for production and technically accepted by an initial customer. In total, three machines were already delivered in 2006, which are employed in the pilot production and the daily mass production for eyeglass lenses following extensive testing.
Background information OPTICUS
The simplified and automated production technology presents ophthalmic lens producers the opportunity to produce eyeglass lenses individually in a very short period of time. This results in a significant reduction of logistics on part of the producers. In particular due to the short lead times compared with the traditional batch equipment, the machine offers a maximum of flexibility, which is a sound basis for an efficient and profitable prescription production. For example, with SINGULUS’ know-how all coating steps can be performed in one machine on both sides of the plastic eyeglass lenses at the same time and within 30 minutes only.
An automation of the customary anti-scratch, anti-reflection and easy-care coating within plastic eyeglass lens processing is not possible with the traditional batch coating machines and the vacuum deposition process. In contrast, the OPTICUS with its patented coating technology distinguishes itself from the traditional processes in several aspects. An essential factor of the inline technology is the transport and processing of single substrates. With this technology all coating steps up to the quality control are interlinked in one system.